Why traditional recruitment methods won’t cut it in today’s candidate market

If you asked people twenty or thirty years ago how they got their job, many would say that they responded to an advertisement in a newspaper. In addition to paper-based job postings, other traditional recruitment methods include word-of-mouth, internal hiring and referrals. Whilst these methods still have their place in today’s hiring market, companies that rely too heavily on traditional recruiting and fail to move with the times will find that they miss out on a big chunk of the talent pool.

This is because today’s candidate market exists online. A recent survey by inploi found that 71% of respondents preferred to use their smartphone to search for and apply for jobs, either through a dedicated app (38%) or more commonly a browser (47%). This is a steep increase on the 28% of Americans who reported using a smartphone as part of their job search back in 2015.

It's clear that the job search has moved on from paper-based postings and word-of-mouth, and recruiters need to be prepared to go online to move with the times.

The New Collar Worker

Today’s candidates, dubbed “new collar workers,” are digital natives for whom technology is a mainstay in every area of their lives, including the job hunt. The new-collar workforce is made up of millennials and Gen-Zers, who are tech savvy, mission-driven and mobile – they tend to work a portfolio of different careers that cut across the traditional white-collar/blue-collar divide.

Given that new-collar workers now make up nearly 60% of the workforce, it’s crucial that employers engage them effectively, by sending the right message and using the right medium.

Recruitment marketing for the modern age

The wave of digitalisation has been cresting for a while now, but it picked up pace dramatically as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. With remote working and virtual interactions suddenly becoming prevalent, all areas of a company’s operations need to go digital to some extent, and recruitment is no exception.

Online channels are the ways to reach and engage fresh, new-collar talent, which will make up the future of the workforce. Companies can easily pour money down the drain by trying to reach candidates via channels that produce low levels of engagement, or with tools that deliver an outdated and alien user experience.

Today’s candidates expect a seamless application experience, and a clunky or mobile user-unfriendly interface may deter those who are eager to work for companies that move with the times. Indeed, in inploi’s 2021 survey, 50% of candidates awarded a top score of “5” for the priority they attach to an easy application process, whilst 48% prioritised the ability to apply via mobile phone. These are candidates who are accustomed to using apps to go about their daily lives, and expect a similarly frictionless and engaging experience from job applications.

However, existing processes are in many cases failing to effectively engage online and mobile-first job seekers. Nearly 60% of job seekers abandon an online job application before they complete it, with mobile-phone users completing 53% fewer applications on average and taking 80% longer to complete an application. This is down to recruiters relying on legacy applicant tracking systems or application forms designed for desktop users. As a result, candidates encounter hurdles at every stage, experiencing difficulties in attached documents, content not displaying properly on their phone, or laborious and repetitive applications.

Companies who fail to offer a positive candidate experience, beginning with a seamless, mobile user-friendly application process, risk side-lining a crucial demographic.??

How to attract today’s talent

Whilst many companies understand the need to attract new-collar candidates through engaging and attractive online content, implementing this strategy may feel overwhelming. The market for recruitment marketing tools is fragmented, with different tools offering piecemeal solutions to a range of problems experienced by hiring managers throughout the talent pipeline.

inploi’s Attract module offers a comprehensive and forward-looking solution to talent attraction in the digital age.

inploi’s distribution network enables companies to gain immediate exposure to millions of job seekers across the internet with a single connection, encompassing social media, search, job boards, aggregators and offline partners. inploi’s mobile-first approach to recruitment marketing means that you can reach new-collar workers where they’re most at home, with a first-rate candidate experience which is sure to send conversion rates soaring.?

inploi has partnered with firms including Jobs on Facebook, Google for Jobs, TikTok, Indeed and FindaJob to ensure that your opportunities are quickly listed across a variety of channels to reach a diverse audience of jobseekers.

inploi’s team is at your disposal, offering up our expertise to design, execute and optimise bespoke campaigns to deliver you the candidates you need. Our partners range from FTSE100 organisations with global hiring needs to large seasonal hospitality and leisure providers. All have one thing in common: they’ve transformed their talent attraction and developed a competitive advantage with our technology.

If you’re ready to supercharge your talent attraction process and engage the future of the workforce, get in touch with inploi today or find out more at our website.?